Control unit, device and method for the production of a three-dimensional object

Abstract

A device ( 1 ) for producing a three-dimensional object ( 2 ) through layer-wise solidifying of build-up material ( 13 ) at positions ( 43 ) corresponding to a cross-section of the object ( 2 ) to be produced in a respective layer comprises a coating device ( 12 - 14 ) for applying a layer of the build-up material ( 13 ) on a working plane ( 10 ), a solidifying device ( 20 ) for the selective solidifying of the build-up material ( 13 ) in the applied layer and a gas suction nozzle ( 34 ) for extracting gas from the device ( 1 ) by suction. The gas suction device ( 34 ) is thereby movably arranged and the device ( 1 ) is designed to control or to regulate a movement and/or orientation of the gas suction nozzle ( 34 ) as a function of a number of reference positions ( 51, 53, 55 a, 55 b, 55 c, 55 d ).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of moving and orienting a movable gas suction nozzle in an apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object through layer-wise solidifying of build-up material at positions corresponding to a cross-section of the object to be produced in a respective layer, wherein the method comprises:
 providing a coating device that applies a layer of the build-up material on a working plane; 
 providing an energy or radiation source suitable for solidifying the build-up material that selectively solidifies the build-up material in the applied layer by impingement of a beam of the energy or radiation source on an applied layer; 
 providing a control unit that controls the energy or radiation source, the control unit further determining solidifying positions corresponding to cross-sections of the object, and the control unit selecting a plurality of reference positions on the working plane to then control movement and orientation of the gas suction nozzle in relation to the impingement of the beam using the reference positions; 
 operating the gas suction nozzle to extract gas from a build chamber of the apparatus by suction, the gas suction nozzle being movably mounted above the working plane, wherein the reference positions comprise at least one nozzle orientation reference position selected from solidifying positions of a cross-section of the object being produced in the working plane; and 
 operating the control unit to move and orient the nozzle using the at least one nozzle orientation reference position. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one nozzle orientation reference position is taken from a solidifying field which is an area of the cross-section of the object being produced, where a position of the solidifying field which is at a greatest distance from an actual position of the gas suction nozzle is defined as the at least one nozzle orientation reference position. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least during a predetermined period of time, a distance between the gas suction nozzle and at least one of the plurality of reference positions does not exceed a predetermined distance value. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the coating device is movable parallel to the working plane; and 
 the gas suction nozzle is mechanically connected to move with the coating device. 
 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas suction nozzle is movably arranged in two directions (x, y) parallel to the working plane. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas suction nozzle is arranged in a rotatable manner about at least one axis chosen from an axis perpendicular to the working plane or an axis parallel to the working plane. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising a gas inlet for supplying a gas into the apparatus,
 wherein the gas inlet and the gas suction nozzle are arranged in opposed fashion to each other and can be moved in tandem with each other and parallel to the working plane with a substantially constant distance from one another. 
 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the gas inlet and the gas suction nozzle is configured so that a speed of a gas flow produced by the at least one of the gas inlet and the gas suction nozzle is at a lowest speed of a speed distribution of the gas flow at a level-height defined by a surface of the working plane. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas suction nozzle comprises a ring nozzle. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising extracting from the center of the ring nozzle. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object has a process chamber, the process chamber comprising a coupling-in window through which radiation for selectively solidifying the build-up material is coupled into the process chamber and wherein, after completion of a production process, the gas suction nozzle provides suction on the coupling-in window for cleaning contaminants from the coupling-in window. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas suction nozzle is moved together with the coating device. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas suction nozzle is attached to the coating device and moved together with the coating device. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a second gas suction nozzle, and wherein at least the gas suction nozzle and the second gas suction nozzle are attached to the coating device and moved together with the coating device. 
     
     
       15. A method of moving and orienting a movable gas suction nozzle in an apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object through layer-wise solidifying of build-up material at positions corresponding to a cross-section of the object to be produced in a respective layer, wherein the method comprises:
 providing a coating device that applies a layer of the build-up material on a working plane; 
 providing an energy or radiation source suitable for solidifying the build-up material that selectively solidifies the build-up material in the applied layer by impingement of a beam of the energy or radiation source on an applied layer; 
 providing a control unit that controls the energy or radiation source, the control unit further determining solidifying positions corresponding to cross-sections of the object, and the control unit selecting a plurality of reference positions on the working plane, to then control movement and orientation of the gas suction nozzle in relation to the impingement of the beam using the reference positions; 
 operating the gas suction nozzle to extract gas from a build chamber of the apparatus by suction, the gas suction nozzle being movably mounted above the working plane, wherein the reference positions comprise at least one nozzle orientation reference position selected from solidifying positions of a cross-section of the object being produced in the working plane; 
 operating the control unit to move and orient the nozzle using the at least one nozzle orientation reference position; and 
 supplying a gas into the apparatus with a gas inlet, 
 wherein the gas inlet and the gas suction nozzle are arranged in opposed fashion to each other and can be moved in tandem with each other with a substantially constant distance from one another; and 
 wherein at least one of the gas inlet and the gas suction nozzle is configured so that a speed of a gas flow produced by the at least one of the gas inlet and the gas suction nozzle is at a lowest speed of a speed distribution of the gas flow at a level-height defined by a surface of the working plane. 
 
     
     
       16. A method of moving and orienting a movable gas suction nozzle in an apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object through layer-wise solidifying of build-up material at positions corresponding to a cross-section of the object to be produced in a respective layer, wherein the method comprises:
 providing a coating device that applies a layer of the build-up material on a working plane; 
 providing an energy or radiation source suitable for solidifying the build-up material that selectively solidifies the build-up material in the applied layer by impingement of a beam of the energy or radiation source on an applied layer; 
 providing a control unit that controls the energy or radiation source, the control unit further determining solidifying positions corresponding to cross-sections of the object, and the control unit selecting a plurality of reference positions on the working plane, to then control movement and orientation of the gas suction nozzle in relation to the impingement of the beam using the reference positions; 
 operating the gas suction nozzle to extract gas from a build chamber of the apparatus by suction, the gas suction nozzle being movably mounted above the working plane, wherein the reference positions comprise at least one nozzle orientation reference position selected from solidifying positions of a cross-section of the object being produced in the working plane; and 
 operating the control unit to move and orient the nozzle using the at least one nozzle orientation reference position, 
 wherein the apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object has a process chamber, the process chamber comprising a coupling-in window through which radiation for selectively solidifying the build-up material is coupled into the process chamber and wherein, after completion of a production process, the gas suction nozzle provides suction on the coupling-in window for cleaning contaminants from the coupling-in window.